The Eyalet of Temeà Âvar () was a first-level administrative unit (eyalet) of the Ottoman Empire. It existed from 1552 to 1716. Provincial administration was centered in Temeà Âvar (today's TimiÃÂoara) from 1552 to 1659, and again from 1693 to 1716. During the 1659âÂÂ1693 interval, its second capital was Yanova (today's Ineu), and within that period, it was also known as the Eyalet of Yanova. The province was located in the Banat region of Central Europe. Besides Banat, it also included southern parts of the CriÃÂana region, north of the river MureÃÂ. Its territory is now divided between Hungary, Romania, and Serbia.
The name of the province in Ottoman Turkish was Eyâlet-i Temeà Âvar or Eyâlet-i Tñmñà Âvar (in Modern Turkish: Temeà Âvar Eyaleti or Tamñà Âvar Eyaleti), in Hungarian was Temesvári vilajet, in Romanian was Eialetul TimiÃÂoarei or PaÃÂalâcul TimiÃÂoara, in Serbian was âõüøÃÂòðÃÂÃÂúø õÃÂðûõàor Temià ¡varski ejalet. The province was named after its administrative seat, Temeà Âvar. The Turkish name Temeà Âvar is given after the Hungarian one, Temesvár meaning "Castle on the Temes" (River).
Since the capture of Belgrade (1521), Ottoman forces have intensified their incursions towards Hungarian territories beyond the Danube, gradually establishing several posts on its left banks, while the Temes County and surrounding regions remained under the Hungarian rule. By 1536, the Banate of Lugos and Karansebes was established within the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom, as a military frontier towards the Ottomans. In the same time, local magnate Petar PetroviÃÂ (d. 1557) emerged as a semi-autonomous governor of the region, balancing between Hungarians and Ottomans.
Upon the initial dissolution of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom in the summer of 1551, much of its territories, including the Temes County and the surrounding regions, were integrated into the Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary, thus provoking the reaction of the Ottoman Empire, that invaded the region in the autumn of the same year, taking several cities, but not being able to conquer Temeà Âvar.
The Eyalet of Temeà Âvar was formed in 1552, when the Hungarian castle of Temesvár defended by the troop of István Losonczy was finally captured by the Ottoman troops led by Kara Ahmed Pasha on July 26, 1552.
The Eyalet was led by a vali (governor) or beylerbey (sometimes with position of pasha or vizir), whose residence was at the former Hunyadi Castle in Temeà Âvar (1552âÂÂ1659 and 1693âÂÂ1716), and also in Yanova (1659âÂÂ1693).
It existed until 1716, when its territory was conquered by the Habsburg monarchy during the Austro-Turkish War (1716âÂÂ1718). In 1718, the Habsburgs formed a new province in this region, named the Banat of Temeswar.
Numerous Muslims mostly from the Balkans settled in the area, living mostly in the cities and associated with trade and administration. The countryside of the Banat region was mainly populated by Rascians (Serbs) in the west, and Vlachs (Romanians) in the east. Thus, in some historical sources, the region of Banat was referred to as Rascia, while in others as Wallachia. Temeà Âvar (TimiÃÂoara) was mostly populated by Muslims during Ottoman rule.
Upon creation in 1552, the Eyalet of Temeà Âvar was divided into these sanjaks:
By the end of the 16th century new sanjaks were created:
During the 17th century additional sanjaks were created:
Sanjaks of Güle, Yanova and Fenlak, and northern parts of the ÃÂanad and Lipva sanjaks were transferred to Habsburg Monarchy after signing of the Treaty of Karlowitz (1699).